Device for holding cut-out forms.



F. W. VAN CAMP.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING GUT-OUT FORMS;

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22,1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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FREDERlCR VAX CAMP, Ul" TllOlhAhl) ISLAND PARK, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING CUT-OUT FORMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Application filed September 22, 1908. Serial No. 454,171.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that .i, lhnqnmncit VJ. VAN CAMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thousand lsland Park, in the county of Jefferson and ltatc of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Devices for llolding ht-Out Forms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprchends certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for use in trimming or cutting out photographic or other prints, and relates particular v to an improved construction of device (les to hold a cut-out form or pattern.

The primary object of the invention is a simple, durable and efficient construction of device of this character which may be easily operated to hold a cut-out form in place, the device being controlled by the foot of the operator and thereby leaxing both of his hands free for the cutting or triininii'ig operation.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts, that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim. a

For a full understanding of the inventionreference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan. view of my improved holder; Fig. 2 is a front edge view thereof; and, Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying; drawing by the same reference characters.

My improved apparatus comprises a base 1 which may be of wood or any other desired substance or materiah and of any desired shape and size, said base being preferably secured, in any desired way, to a bench or table so as to hold it in properly elevated position. The base 1 is covered with a sheet 2 of zinc or the like, which forms the cutting surface. Side plates 3 are secured by screws or similar fastening devices to the side edges of the base, the rear ends of said side plates extending vertically as shown and constituting standards 4 in which a transversely extending shaft 5 is journaled to partially rotate about its longitudinal axis. The shaft 5 is provided at one end with a crank arm 6, the free extremity of which is o' iset as indicated at 7 and is socured to the upper end of a link rod 8 the. lower end of said link rod being secured to any desired actuating device, preferably a foot treadle S) fulcruincd on the floor or any other desired suiport underneath the table or bench upon hich the device is mounted.

(lainping arms 10 are secured to the shaft and extend perpendicularly therefrom over the said base 1. in the present instance, these arms are formed with upwardly and rearwardly extending shani-t's 11 which are mounted upo? the shaft 5 and which are held thereon at d rent distances from each other by means of set screws 12 extending through the shanks and imp 7 i the *haft as clearly indicated in the drau mg. P1,-dill3lY the inner face of the clamping arms are oppositely recessed or are concave as indicated at 13.

let designates a spring which is coiled one or more times around the extending end of the shaft 5, one end of said spring being offset at its extremity and secured in an opening formed for it in the adjacent side plate 3 While the other end of the spring is secured in any desired Way to the arm 6, the said spring exerting a tension upon said arm in a direction to swing said crank arm 6 upwardly and consequently raise the clamping arms 10 and. hold them in an elevated and inoperative position above the base 1.

15 designates a cut out form of any desired or conventional type which my device is intended to clamp and hold so that it may be used as a pattern for cutting out a photograph or other print with the ordinary wheel trimmer or other tool.

In the practical use of my device for holding cut-out forms, the form is placed in the desired position on the cutting surface 2 of the base 1 and the clamping arms 10 are adjusted transversely upon the shaft 5 so as to be the proper distance apart according to the form that is being used. The operator then presses his foot upon the treadle 9 which exerts a downward tension upon the rod 8 to turn the shaft 5 in a direction to swing the clamping arms 10 downwardly upon the cut-out form so as to hold the same firmly, it being particularly noted that both hands of the operator are free for the cutting out operation. As soon as the print has been cut or trimmed, it is manifest that the cut out form may be readily released by the operator by merely removing his foot from crank arm, a link rod connected to said crank arm and extending downwardly therefrom, a foot treadle connected to the lower end of said link rod, clamping arms mounted to move transversely upon said shaft and extending perpendicularly therefrom over the cutting surface, means for holding said clamping arms at different positions along the shaft, and a spring secured to said crank arm and to the adjacent side plate and exerting a tension upon the crank arm to turn the shaft in a direction to swing the clamping arms upwardly.

2. A device of the character described,

comprising a base, standards secured to said base, a transversely extending shaft mounted to turn on said standards above the base, foot operated means connected to said shaft to turn the same, clamping arms mounted upon said shaft and extending perpendicularly therefrom, said arms being mounted to move along the shaft, and means for holding said arms at different points along the shaft.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a base, standards secured to said base, a transversely extending shaft mounted to turn in said standards, means for turning said shaft, and clamps, said clamps being provided with upwardly and rearwardly ex tending shanks formed with openings by which they are slipped on said shaft, and set screws extending through said shanks impinging against said shaft whereby to hold the clamping arms at different positions relative to the shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK W. VAN CAMP.

itnesses GEO. L. LAMsoN, SARAH LAMSON. 

